


Were they too slow?

by LadyAnneNeville



Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode tag: s05e04 Nobody Else is Dying Today, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Matthew Casey, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, chemical burns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29230263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAnneNeville/pseuds/LadyAnneNeville
Summary: A whumpy one shot set in season 5 episode 4. Casey goes to inspect the warehouse as an Alderman but there's a chemical spill and he is trapped. This story diverges at the point he is rescued. What if, with all the delays getting the power shut off, Casey lost consciousness before Severide was able to get to him?This primarily focuses on the friendship between Casey and Severide, and is mostly from Severide's perspective. Any other relationships are background to this.
Relationships: Matthew Casey & Kelly Severide, Matthew Casey/Gabriela Dawson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Were they too slow?

Squad and Truck and been working as fast as they could. Severide tried to remember that, Gabby tried to hold on to that. With Casey trapped inside they were all highly motivated to move quickly. The terrified teenager who greeted them had made it absolutely clear that Casey was still trapped inside with a victim.

They had managed to get inside the building fairly quickly, and Casey had been able to give them a full rundown of the situation from the room where he was trapped with the victim. That was where things had slowed down. The aluminium was sparking off the hydrochloric acid and the electrical system kept raining sparks down on them. Even knowing that truck was working as hard as they could on the outside of the building to get the power shut off quickly, it didn’t stop the frustration as sparks kept pushing them back and stopping them from opening up the wall to get to Casey.

Casey hadn’t said anything else but then again Severide didn’t really expect him to, the combination of the fumes in the other room and the fact he was breathing for the victim would keep him from communicating unless necessary.

“Power’s shut off.” Came through the radio, but it wasn’t and it was an extra three agonising minutes until the power finally was shut off. Whether it was those extra three minutes or the amount of time it had taken until that point, or even the time it took to break down the wall with sledgehammers, it had taken too long.

The hole in the wall was finally big enough.

“Casey! You alright?” Severide called through the gap, but there wasn’t a reply. The smoke cleared just enough to show not one but two unconscious men lying on the floor. An overweight middle aged white man who was probably the victim and Casey, slumped on his side next to him. 

Vargas’ fate popped into Severide’s head. A career firefighter left with chemical complications in his lungs that prevented him from working again and he prayed that would not be Casey’s fate. Right now he had to be a lieutenant, not a worried friend.

“Capp, Tony, get that backboard in here, you’ll get the victim, I’ll get Casey.” Severide ordered, moving into the room and lifting Casey on to his shoulders and moving out towards the exit. Trusting his men to get the other victim while he moved towards the ambulance.

Members of truck were there to help ease Casey down onto the gurney as Brett called for a second ambulance. Casey’s skin was flushed red and painful looking, especially around his hands, mouth and eyes. Dawson’s hands were shaking like a leaf while Brett checked Casey over.

There was a pulse. And he was breathing. He was still breathing, but respirations were shallow and painful sounding and Brett made the decision to intubate. Kelly stepped forward to help Brett. He had never seen Dawson freeze before but she looked terrified. Her and Casey’s previous interaction had been a fight. A sharp word from Chief Boden had her scampering off to help the other victim, who had now been brought out and was in significantly worse shape than Casey.

Severide let his eyes meet Boden’s as he rhythmically squeezed the ambo bag to ensure Casey kept breathing. A decision had to be made, and the outcome was obvious but incredibly painful. The other victim would need to take the first ambulance, with the girl. Casey should wait for the second. Casey could wait for the second. Probably. They were four minutes out. The overweight middle aged man almost certainly could not. 

Severide tried to focus on Casey. He was alive. They were keeping him breathing, the bag and intubation was a precaution to keep his airway from swelling closed. It was probably a relatively mild case of chemical burns.

The words sounded weak even in his own head. You didn’t lose consciousness from a relatively mild case of chemical burns. Your respirations didn’t drop to the point you needed to be intubated for a mild case. Being trapped in a room with dangerous fumes for hours without being able to call for help normally killed you, and Severide had no doubt in his mind at all that if Casey hadn’t been there, the chances were that both the other victim and his daughter would have died. He had most likely saved two lives this morning, and he wasn’t even on duty as a Fireman.

It was still hard to be proud rather than infuriated when Casey was lying utterly limp while Severide was breathing for him.

The sounds of the other patient stabilising came from behind him and Boden made the call Severide knew he would have to make. Brett took over squeezing the bag for a second as they lifted Casey from the gurney to a stokes basket on the ground. He knelt beside his best friend and once again took over squeezing the bag. Severide had his back to the other victim as the man was placed on the gurney Casey had just vacated and moved into the ambulance along with his daughter and Brett in the back, Dawson opting to drive.

Later Boden was able to clarify that it was less than two minutes before the second ambulance arrived, and less than three by the time Casey, and Severide had loaded themselves into the back before bluelighting it to med. It didn’t feel that quick. The seconds seemed to dredge and pool around him like a foul, viscous mud, weighing heavily on his mind as he tried to stay in the moment, alert, with the EMT trained Kidd by his side complete with a jump bag just in case it was needed and all her years of experience.

He had never been so grateful for her calm steady presence. She didn’t say much to him. Didn’t waste platitudes on him when he was stretched so thin he would snap at the tiniest provocation. She was just there, focused and competent and calm. The calm was what was most needed when he knew she cared about Casey and must be worried too, the fact that she was able to project that calm competence while surrounded by anxious terrified men was a huge relief.

Then the ambulance arrived and they were off. The ride to med was tense but Casey didn’t deteriorate any further. He didn’t get any better either, but Severide would take what he could get for now. Then as they pulled into med Casey woke up. Severide didn’t know the EMTs with them well so he jumped in, gripping Casey’s hand as the EMT had taken over squeezing the bag.

“You’re safe. You’re in an ambulance. We got you out of the warehouse but you’d lost consciousness so Brett intubated you, it’s precautionary. You’re going to be okay, just remain calm.” He hated how he sounded. He sounded like he was talking to a victim, not his best friend but he couldn’t risk letting go of his emotions right now.

“The victim and the girl are both safe. They took the first ambulance.” He added. Through his other words, Casey had remained looking tense and frightened but he relaxed a little at finding out the two victims were okay. There didn’t seem to be any memory issues or neurological defects caused by the lack of oxygen at least. The ambulance doors opened and they began moving the gurney into the hospital. Severide wanted to pass on some reassurance that Casey was going to be okay, that he was in good hands, but the words stuck in his throat. At least it was a doctor Casey knew, Severide couldn’t recall her name but he’d seen her around at Molly’s with Drs Halstead and Manning sometimes.

Casey vanished down the corridor and he was politely but firmly directed towards the waiting room. He had barely arrived before being ambushed by Dawson and Brett.

“How’s Matt? What’s his condition?” Dawson immediately demanded, her tone fierce but Severide knew her well enough to know her aggression was covering how close she was to falling apart.

“Respirations are the same as when you left. He regained consciousness just as we arrived at Med but seemed to grasp what was going on pretty quickly. After that I don’t know, they took him for treatment and I’ll find out when you will I guess.” He felt a bit lost. He hated the waiting room at med. At least under these circumstances. It always meant someone was in danger of their life falling apart. Dawson’s eyes began to look suspiciously wet so he pulled her into a hug. He had to be strong for now. Dawson was falling apart and Brett looked devastated.

“How’s the victim?” He asked Brett over Dawson’s head.

“Alive and stable when he arrived so we’re hopeful. They’re treating the girl for minor chemical inhalation but she got off really lucky compared to the other two. Casey took good care of her. They’re being treated in the same room while they try and track down a family member to take the kid.” Brett explained. 

Thankfully at that moment the Truck company walked in. Squad and Engine had stayed to make sure the fire was out and do overhaul but Boden had released the truck company to come to the hospital and wait for news. Severide handed Dawson off to an understanding Herman and made his escape, going to wait outside the hospital, lingering just long enough to ask Kidd to call him if the doctor came out with news.

Last year the family of a patient who had died had donated some money for a small peaceful garden tucked away, shielded from the car park by fast growing bamboo. The waiting room made him think of Vargas, and Shay, who they had performed continuous CPR on all the way to the hospital, long after they should have called it. Shay’s smiling face burst into his mind and Kelly took a firm, stubborn breath to quiet the hot tears that were burning behind his eyes. 

It wasn’t fair. It was a dangerous job, but Casey had been doing Alderman work. He was supposed to be safe, when he was off shift, he was supposed to be safe. He briefly wondered if he should call Casey’s Alderman office in case they needed to rearrange anything. 

No he thought viciously. It was the fault of the stupid Alderman job that Casey was in hospital right now rather than on shift with the rest of them. Casey can decide what to tell them when he wakes up, they don’t need to know straight away.

Severide became aware that he was pacing around the garden rather angrily, drawing a distressed look from an older lady who had been sat on one of the benches. This was a peaceful place, and crucially it was a peaceful place that hadn’t existed during the worst day of his life just over two years ago when Shay died, or indeed when they lost Andy a couple of years before that. It didn’t exist when Hallie worked at the hospital and he used to tease Casey about spending every spare moment here just to steal moments with his girlfriend around their hectic schedules. It was new.

Severide smiled apologetically at the lady and moved to an empty bench and sat down. It felt like he was doing the wrong thing. It was beautiful here. A gently trickling fountain and carefully chosen plants to ensure there was beautiful greenery the whole year around, even in the brutal Chicago winters. He watched an unseasonably late butterfly flutter around some of the wilting late summer flowers and wanted to leave. This was a beautiful place and he didn’t want to taint it with his grief.

What if after today he was the only one left. No. Severide couldn’t let himself go down that avenue of thought. Casey regained consciousness, he was going to be okay, he wouldn’t leave him like Shay and Andy. When Andy died he was broken, and angry and blamed Casey, but that blame gave his grief a channel and purpose and Shay was there as a constant, comforting presence to ground him. Now he regretted his immaturity and the fact it took so long to reconcile with Casey. But he had just assumed that Casey had Hallie to catch him. He didn’t realise at the time that they were on a break and then he was dealing with the mess of his mother coming out of prison. He had been surrounded by people and supported and Casey had been alone.

Then when Hallie died, he had given Matt space. The exact thing he said he wanted and the last thing he needed. The earful Dawson had given Severide after finding Casey in his empty, filthy apartment, paralysed by his grief had been memorable.

After Shay died, Casey had stepped in again. Getting him to move in with him and Dawson, keeping him just connected enough to the real world to ensure he was able to keep going to work and not lose his job, balancing space with support. Severide hadn’t made it easy for Casey but Casey hadn’t given up.

Casey knew grief. Severide realised. He knew it inside and out, and how to learn to live with it and move on, and still he was able to have a positive outlook, a decent social life and a fulfilling career. He knew it so well and wore it so naturally that Severide hadn’t even bothered to look closely until Casey had stepped in to support him when he needed it the most.

The more he thought about it the more he felt disgusted with himself and determined to do better. Every single time he had been in a dark place and needed someone for the last fifteen years, Casey had been there to step in and pull him out, if Severide would let him. Every single time. And Severide just hadn’t repaid the favour. Hadn’t stepped up when he had needed to. That ended now.

He went back to the call in his head. Casey hadn’t been unconscious for long. He can’t have been. When they arrived Casey was talking. Not just that, but when they arrived he was talking clearly and articulately and giving a breakdown of the scene. But had Severide not been fast enough? Should he have left his men and charged through despite the electrical sparks raining down, trusting his turnout gear to protect him? Had he got to the room earlier would he have been able to protect Casey from losing consciousness or had the damage that had caused it already happened by the time they arrived? Should he have pushed to go check on Casey when he found out he didn’t pick Louie up from daycare, knowing how out of character it was? How much time was wasted by waiting for the 911 call to arrive?

Casey had to be okay. He had to be.

Should he call Christie? Or would that be overstepping. Casey wouldn’t want to make a fuss but Christie would want to know he was sure. They had done so much work repairing their relationship over the last four years she would definitely want to know. But was it still an emergency. And he wanted to keep his phone line free in case Kidd called for him to come in and hear an update. Severide was no longer Casey’s emergency contact, that honour went to Dawson now, as contentious as their relationship sometimes was, the couple did truly love each other, maybe not enough to make things work in the long term, but they did love each other and Dawson had been there for Casey through some really tough times.

Severide texted Christie to call him as soon as she could. She was probably working and might not be able to get to her phone immediately. Then his phone was buzzing with Kidd’s number and his time alone was over. It was time to put away his fear and aversion and return to the waiting room.

By the time he arrived the doctor who had given the update was gone but Dawson, Brett and the truck company was looking relieved.

“What’s the prognosis?” Severide asked as he jogged back in the room.

“The burns on his airway look fairly superficial and with the right treatment he should make a full recovery. They’re treating with steroids every few hours to keep the airway from swelling. If his stats stay up they’re hoping to remove the intubation tonight and release him by lunch tomorrow. He’s lightly sedated at the moment because it’s traumatic to be awake and intubated but barring complications, they aren’t worried.” Dawson explained, then a smile lit up her face. “He’s going to be okay Severide.” 

The crushing weight of guilt eased just a little, although he doubted it would fully go away until Casey made a full recovery.

“Do they know when he’ll wake up?” Severide asked.

“Early evening, six or seven, they want to test his respirations and take him off the vent around then if he’s responded sufficiently to treatment.” Dawson explained.

At that moment Severide’s phone rang. He glanced down. “I should take this, I texted Christie asking her to call me so I could tell her what happened.” A look of guilt swept over Dawson’s face.

“I should have thought of that.” 

Severide waved her concern away. “You have enough on your mind.” He said as he answered the call and updated a worried Christie on the situation. Grateful to be able to tell her the prognosis rather than just the scary unknown he had been trapped in for the last hour.

As he hung up he noticed Chief Boden had arrived with Squad and Engine. They were looking fairly calm so Dawson had clearly given them the update.

“Christie’s going to bring Violet over to the hospital to see Casey at around 5:30. They’ll be here tonight when he’s taken off the vent.” Boden nodded, relief covering his features as well. Boden carried the weight of all his men’s lives and having to make a call that could have cost Casey’s by delaying medical treatment would have been hard to live with, however much it was objectively the correct decision.

“Ok everyone, listen up.” Boden called out, grabbing the attention of not only the firefighters and paramedics but also several members of the public. Boden pursed his lips for a moment before adding, “Apologies, I meant everyone in my firehouse.” He waited for a second until the four or five strangers who had also listened up went back to their activities. “Lieutenant Casey is being well looked after. The doctors think he will make a full recovery and should be released tomorrow. Meanwhile we still have a job to do so let’s get back to the Firehouse and keep doing it. The hospital will keep us updated of any change but he’s in good hands, so aside from hearing he is successfully off the vent, no news is good news.” Boden paused for a moment surveying the faces of all his people. “Okay, let’s move out.”

The next day Severide made good on his promise to be there for Casey as he showed up at Casey and Dawson’s apartment for a family dinner, armed with take out from portillos, including several of their famous milkshakes which should be easier to consume when your throat is really sore.

He was the last to arrive. Christie and Dawson were setting the table while Violet was snuggled up next to her uncle on the sofa, showing him pictures from her recent field trip to New York on her phone. The street performers in Times Square had apparently been a highlight. As they gathered around the table Severide had an old instinct to say grace. Both he and Casey grew up in the church but neither attended very often anymore. It was a reflex left over from his mom, who was very religious and who’s pre meal prayers always felt more heartfelt on the days his father had returned from a close call. He didn’t voice the urge but instead offered up a silent prayer of thanks to a god he wasn’t even sure existed. Casey was okay and he was loved, and Severide wouldn’t mess it up again.

**Author's Note:**

> I am partway through finishing 'A stolen Jacket, a Stolen Friend' but I'm struggling to decide if I want to end it in one chapter or two. I'm thinking two so I can fit lots of nightmares and whump in, so while I work on that I thought I'd finish off a story I wrote the beginning of a few months ago and post more, indulgent, Chicago Fire whumpfic.
> 
> If you enjoyed it, please, please leave a comment to let me know what you think, and don't hesitate to read some of my other work if the mood takes you.


End file.
